793.94/8811: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:15 a.m.]
289. 1. Following information published by Central News Agency under date July 16 was issued unofficially not by Foreign Office, and is understood to be based in part on reports received from Chinese Embassy in Japan: the 5th, 6th, 10th, 12th and 16th Japanese Army Divisions with estimated total strength of not less than 100,000 have left Japan for various destinations in China and Korea. Two of them have orders to proceed direct to North China, others will wait for further orders in Korea. Japanese reservists throughout Korea have been called up for immediate service in anticipation of the standing army in Korea being despatched to China. Thirty-one merchant vessels have been chartered by the Japanese military for transport of troops and munitions from Japan. (See Tientsin’s July 16, 2 p.m.29) At Tientsin four more trains of munitions, army trucks and cars and other military supplies arrived July 16th and Japanese forces along the Peiping-Tientsin section of the railway have been increased by more than 500 soldiers and some 20 field guns. Elaborate defense works have been erected around Fengtai and many mines are being planted; an airfield has already been constructed at Chaochiaotsun in the southern neighborhood of Fengtai and four Japanese planes are on reconnaissance duty there. A Japanese cruiser and several destroyers have arrived Tsingtao and the Japanese reservists there have been called together and given special instructions.
2. Press reports several days ago stated two squadrons of destroyers were leaving Formosa for South China ports including Foochow, Amoy, Swatow to “guard against anti-Japanese agitation”.
3. Sent to the Department, Peiping. By courier to Shanghai, Tokyo.
- Not printed.↩